NEW DELHI — The Union government is preparing to convene a special session of Parliament this month to push through the contentious Delimitation Bill alongside the Women's Reservation Bill.
Government floor managers confirmed they now command the necessary two-thirds majority in the House. That threshold eluded them during an earlier failed vote in the Lok Sabha. The stakes are massive. The proposed legislation ties parliamentary seat reallocation directly to the demographic breakup of individual states, a formula regional leaders warn will strip populous and demographically disciplined southern states of political clout. Opponents argue the Centre is deliberately using the Women's Reservation Bill as political cover to railroad the delimitation overhaul.
Congress launched an immediate offensive on Wednesday, accusing the ruling party of subverting constitutional norms.
Congress MP K C Venugopal warned that the administration is systematically maneuvering behind closed doors to bend legislative arithmetic in its favor.
The BJP is attempting to manipulate political parties over the proposed delimitation exercise. This move is an attack on democracy.
K C Venugopal, Congress MP
Venugopal pointed to an unusual procedural anomaly: Parliament has remained unprorogued for 95 days. Normally, the President issues a formal order proroguing both Houses within twenty-four hours of a session's conclusion. That did not happen. With only days remaining before the regular Winter Session begins, Venugopal alleged the government deliberately stalled the prorogation order to buy time, attempting to win over key regional players including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Beyond the seat allocation matrix, the planned sitting could host an explosive face-off on electoral procedures.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi previously challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a direct floor debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is prepared to take up that debate dare during the special sitting if Gandhi formally agrees to the confrontation.
| Legislative & Parliamentary Parameter | Current Official Status |
|---|---|
| Proposed Sitting | Special Parliament Session ahead of Winter Session |
| Core Legislative Agenda | Delimitation Bill and Women's Reservation Bill |
| Government Majority Claim | Secured two-thirds majority required for passage |
| Procedural Status | Parliament unprorogued for 95 days |
| Targeted Regional Parties | DMK, Shiv Sena, NCP |
Parliamentary Affairs officials are finalizing dates for the special session this month, while the Cabinet readies the legislative docket before formal notices land on lawmakers' desks.